Ore-concentrator.



No. 7l5,328.

2 She# fs-Sheet l.

(No Medei.) v

THE Nor-ms PETERS co, anouuwo., wAsHmcmn, D. v

No. 75,328. Patented nee. s, .1902.

G. E. WUGI'IBURY` one concenrrmros.

(Appxiemnn med Jan. 24, 1899.) (uo-Madea.) 2 sheets-smi 2.

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N rrnn rares GEORGE E. WOODBURY, OF SAN-FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

ORE-CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,328, dated DecemberQ, 1902. Application filed January 24, 1899. Serial No. 703,269: (No model.)

To @ZZ whom .it may concern.-

Beit known that I, Geenen EWOODBURY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Ore-Goncentrators,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements made in ore-concentrating machines of that class or description in which the concentrating-surface is grooved or channeled and has a shaking motion withonta traveling or progressive movement, machines of this class being commonly known as concentratingtables. In the various grades and qualities of material treated in these machines there is always to be found a proportion of the mineral particles existing in a tine state of division, produced principally in the preparatory disintegration of the ore in the mill, and these finest particles being the more readily influenced by the streams of Water that are applied to the surface of the table to separate and wash ott the sand than by the motion of the table, which in this class of concentrator constitutes the means of concentrating the mineral particles and bringing them to a common point of discharge, there is of necessity a certain proportion of loss of the mineral taking place by the escape of the iinest particles with the water. To overcome this im perfect operation and the consequent loss of concentrates, it is important to'carry on the operation with the least quantity of water and bring the mineral particles under the in- Iiuence of the shaking motion of the table as thoroughly aspossible, and especially upon the upper part or head of the table, where the concentrates are finally separated and discharged.

To secure the above results is the principal object of this invention; and to that end theseimprovements consist, mainly,in certain construction of grooved or channeled concentrating-surface and the combination of certain parts and mechanism on, all as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims at the end of this speciiication.

The following description explains at length the nature of my said improvements and the manner in which I proceed to construct, apply, and carry out the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof.

Figure l of the drawings is a side elevation of a concentrating-table embodying my said improvements', the view being taken from the rear orhigher side of the machine. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of Fig. l. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the table-surface shown in Fig. 2, the section being taken along the bottom of one of the grooves. Fig. 2b is a cross-section through the perforated pulpdistributing pipe E. Fig. 3 is an end elevation taken from the right-hand side of Fig. 2. Fig. 3a is a cross-section through the Waterpipes G GX R. Fig. 4 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the device for adjusting the inclination of the table. Figs. 5 and 6 are plans of the table, showing two modifications oi the concentrating-surface. Fig. 7 is a side elevation taken from the lower side of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a cross-section of a portion of the grooved concentrating-surface between the partition-strips. Fig. 9 is a similar section through the grooved portion at the head of the table. Fig; 10 is a side view in detail of the cam and follower of the vibrating mechanisrn.

Upon'a stationary bed-frame composed of timbers A A', stiffly joined and bolted together, the table -B is mounted on spring legs or stanchions C C, so as to be movable in a longitudinalV direction. Reciprocating motion of the table is produced through the medium `of mechanism applied to the head of the table,

consisting principally of a cam H on a rotating shaft l and a sliding bar or follower K, attached at one end to the table and carrying on the opposite end a head K, that is held against the cam byV a spring L. The cam is shaped to produce a` relatively slow forward throw and a quick return movement of the table in one complete revolution of the cam, and for this purpose the periphery of the cam is formed, as shown in Fig. l0, With an increased eccentric portion h and an angular projection hX, the relation of these portions to the remainder of the periphery being such that from x to y, or about one-fourth of the entire revolution, the cam gives a forward motion, while the remaining portion gives the return or backward throw. By virtue of this form the return movement takes place in less time than the forward movement, thereby giving the mineral particles a forward inlpulse, causing them to creep upon the surface of the table toward the head by virtue of their inertia. In this table, asin other concentrators of the kind, the top or working surface B has an inclination downward and across the table transversely or from side to side, and the pulp or material to be treated is introduced at the higher side, near one end, together with a greater or less quantity of water that is distributed on that end, so that a movement of the material is produced diagonally over the working surface under the combined action and influence of the low of water and the vibratory motion and inclination of the table.

In regulating or adjusting the operation to meet the variations in character or condition of the material under treatment, and also in changing from one kind or grade of ore to another, it is necessary to vary the inclination or pitch of the table, both transversely or sidewise and longitudinally or endwise, in order to control the even distribution and movement of the material in the required direction over the table, so that the inclination can be varied by raising the table at either side or at either end without disturbing the general adjustment and position of the table with relation to its driving mechanism and the pulp and water distributing pipes. Under the timbers of the stationary bed-frame, on which the table and the parts before mentioned are mounted, I interpose between the frame-sills and the ground two circular plates MMX, having cam-like faces or inclines. The lower one of these plates is fastened to the floor or ground and is formed with a centerA post M3, which is let into the timbers above, while the upper one, M, of the plates is fitted to rotate on that post and is finished with a fiat top surface upon which the timber rests. Holes m3 are provided in the circumference of this upper plate for insertinga hand-spike by which the parts can be turned in one direction or the other, and thus raise or lower the stationary frame by virtue of the inclines before mentioned. The angle of these inclined surfaces is properly regulated to hold the Weight of the table without slipping wherever the movable plates may be set. By this means the inclination of the working surface is readily varied in both directions by moving the parts before mentioned at either side and at either end of the stationary frame.

The pulp-distributing pipe E is supported from the stationary bed over the higher side of the table by means of standards E E', fastened at the lower ends to the timbers A, and the water-pipe G is carried by similar supports E2 E2, secured at the lower ends to the stationary frame, the pipe E and the waterpipe G being perforated with apertures along the bottom, so as to direct the pulp and the Water in a number of streams or jets along the upper side of the table.

For the principal or greater portion of its' length the working surface of the table is divided by means of narrow strips D D into a number of separate channels or sections BX, extending from the lower end, on which the material is first introduced, toward the head or opposite end, where the strips terminate at a distance from the end of the table, leaving the portion of the surface at that end of the table undivided. This portion BXX of the surface from which the strips are removed or omitted at the head of the table is finely grooved or corrugated from the line on which the strips terminate upward to the end of the table, the corrugations running longitudinally or substantially in .the same direction as the motion and in close order across the entire width of the working surface. The bottom surfaces of the divisions between the standing strips are also corrugated or grooved longitudinally with grooves of about the same degree of fineness as those composing the surface BXX at the head of the table. The lastmentioned corrugations, however, while being a continuation of the grooved surface between the standing strips, are reduced in depth or made more shallow than those on the main portion of the table either by cutting down the top surface or by raising or filling up the bottoms of the grooves, so that on any line of cross-section, as at :r x, Fig. 2, the grooves on the surface B are of less depth than those on the main portion and at any line of cross-section, as y y. Upon this finely-grooved portion BXX at the head of the machine the partially cleaned or separated.

concentrates are delivered from all the divisions or sections of the table-surface for the final washing out and separation of the particles of sand and earthy matter that may remain mixed with the mineral particles up to this point in their progress through the machine. The grooves in this portion of the surface are carried to the end of the table, where they are intercepted by a cross-gutter P, running from the higher side downward to the lower side practically at right angles to the grooves and terminating at or merging into a spout or widened outlet at the lower corner of the table. Into this gutter the grooves or corrugations are arranged to deliver such particles as are received from the sections or divisions BX and are retained in the grooves against the washing action of the water applied on this part of the table. These grooves BXX are reduced in depth either by grinding or cutting down the top surface of this part of the table or by raising or filling up the bottoms of the grooves BX, so that instead of having the same depth as those on the principal portion of the table they are made comparatively smaller. The object of this construction is to bring the particles in the grooves as they arrive at this portion of the surface more completely under the action of the streams of water and to effectively Wash out and carry o the waste particles IOO IIO

with a much less quantity of Water than is necessary for the deep grooves, thereby preventing the mineral particles that exist in a finely-divided condition from yielding to the induence of the water and being carried off in the sand and other refuse matter.

By cutting down the quantity of water required to clean the concentrates and by controlling movement of the mineral particles across the surface by means of the grooves the finest particles are held back and brought under the iniinence of the motion to such a degree that their discharge with the tailings instead of with the concentrates is materially prevented and a considerable saving in the mineral is effected.

In operating on slimes and tailings from other machines I have obtained good resultsY by making the sections or divisions BX of the concentratingsurface of the same length for the whole width of the table, as illustrated in the construction Fig. 2, for which purpose dividing-strips DX DX of uniform length are used, and the ends of the strips nearest the head of the table are set on a line drawn transversely across the table substantially at right angles to the direction of the motion. On the other hand, with material containing a large proportion of sulfurets or consisting of what is known as heavy material the table will work to better advantage in many cases when the divisions BX are made of varying lengths, increasing regularly in lengths one over another `from the higher toward the lower side, as shown in the modiiication Fig. 6, so that the ends of the dividing strips DX DX nearest the head of the table terminate on a diagonal line drawn from the higher side downward toward the lower corner at the head of the machine. From the slanting line on which the divisions of the table-surface end the ne grooves BXX on this triangular portion run longitudinally to the head of the table.

In the slight modification represented in Fig. 5 the surface between the dividing-strips D may be left smooth or without the grooves. This form or construction of surface will be found to give good results in working heavy material, while for many grades of orethe grooved surface will be found to work to bet ter advantage.

Vulcanized rubber is a good material to form the working surface of the table, as the same can readilyT be molded with fine grooves and finished with a smooth surface within and between the grooves. The standing strips D can also be molded or formed integrally with the rubber, so that the whole working surface of the table will be in one piece Without seams or joints. The grooved portions of the concentrating-surface may be formed by separate strips or pieces of rubber nailed or secured in any smooth and permanent manner upon the table-surface between the dividingstrips and upon the undivided portion at the head of the machine. In place of this rubber covering sheet-copper or other soft metal in the surface of which the grooves can easily be formed can be substituted.

The usual tailings-trough V along thelower side and a settling tank or receptacle for the concentrates are provided for handling the material discharged from the table.

The water-distributing pipes are arranged for operation in the best position to obtain the desired results with a minimum quantity of water. For this purpose a distributingpipe GX, with perforations along the under side, is placed transversely across the table near the head and just over the inner edge of the gutter I), so as to keep the material continuously moistened along the line of its discharge from the grooves into the gutter and also to keep the gutter itself constantly wet, thereby preventing the concentrates from choking or clogging these channels of discharge. A water-pipe R, supported over the triangular surface in a diagonal position, directs streams of water across the grooves, so that they fall in parallel lines covering the principal portion of the surface on which the concentrates are finally cleaned. These pipes are connected to a common water-supply pipe S and are provided with separate valves S for regulating the delivery of the water on both portions of the working surface.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. An ore-concentrating table having the principal vided into longitudinal channels by standing strips and the portion at and near the concentratesdischarging end undivided, the surface both between and beyond the standing strips being finely grooved and said grooves running in the general direction of the standing strips, as described.

2. An ore-concentratin g table having a surface composed of fine y grooves extending lengthwise thereof in the general direction of the motion, the grooves in the table-surface at and near the concentrates-discharging end being of less depth than the grooves composingthe principal portion of the table, and standing strips dividing the principal portion of the table-surface into longitudinal sections that open upon the portion of the table-surface at the discharge end having the grooves ot' less depth.

3. In an ore-concentrating table, a working surface composed of grooves running longi- Atudinally'of the table, standing strips dividing the principal portion of the grooved surface into a number of sections, that portion of the surface between the concentrates-discharging end of the table and the ends of the standing strips having grooves of less depth than the remaining portion of the surface, and means for imparting vibratory motion to the table.

4. In an ore-concentrating table having viportion of its working surface di-l IOO IIO

a distance from the concentrates-discharge end of the table, a surface of fine grooves 15 composing that portion of the table-surface between the channels and the discharging end, and means for distributing Water diagoa nally across said grooved surface.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I zo have hereunto set my hand and seal.

GEORGE E. WooDBURY. ,[L. s.]

Witnesses:

EDWARD E. OsBoRN, M. REGNER. 

